15 greatest Minnesota Vikings running backs of all-time

15 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Running Backs of All-Time

12. Herschel Walker (1989 - 1991)

Known more for being the centerpiece of one of the worst trades in NFL history, Herschel Walker's tenure with the Vikings actually wasn't as terrible as the actual transaction that landed him in Minnesota.

Coming off a 1988 season with the Dallas Cowboys, where he accumulated more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage, expectations were high for Walker when he joined the Vikings. Especially after his first game in a Minnesota uniform saw him rush for 148 yards during a win over the Green Bay Packers.

Did he live up to these lofty expectations? No, but based on the rest of his NFL career, his performance with the Vikings wasn't much different than his time with the other teams he had stints with during his time in the league.

11. Dave Osborn (1965 - 1975)

One of the longest-tenured running backs in Vikings history, Dave Osborn, was a fixture in the backfield during three of Minnesota's four trips to the Super Bowl.

Osborn's third season with the Vikings in 1967 is really where he began to emerge as a factor in the team's offense, as he rushed for 972 yards and two touchdowns in addition to catching 34 passes for 272 yards and another score. Unfortunately for Osborn, he was one of the few bright spots for Minnesota in 1967, as they ended up finishing with a 3-8-3 record.

After Chuck Foreman arrived in 1973, Osborn's role in the offense shrunk a bit, and it ultimately led to him parting with the Vikings in 1976.

10. Terry Allen (1991 - 1994)

After a solid college career at Clemson, Terry Allen wound up getting selected by the Vikings in the ninth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. Allen began his tenure in Minnesota in 1991 by serving as Herschel Walker's backup, and along with the help of Darrin Nelson, the Vikings finished the season with the NFL's fourth-best rushing offense.

In 1992, Nelson primarily focused on returning kicks, and Walker left to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles. So that left Allen with the role of Minnesota's starting running back. He saw a significant increase in his snaps, and he definitely took advantage of them.

In his first season as a starter, Allen rushed for 1,201 yards and 13 touchdowns in addition to catching 49 passes for 478 yards and a pair of scores. A knee injury kept him out of the entire 1992 campaign, but he returned in 1993 and put together another season with more than 1,000 rushing yards.